Uterine fibroids, according to the Office on Women’s Health, are muscular tumors that grow in the wall of the uterus. Though it may sound frightening, fibroids are almost always benign, meaning they’re not cancerous. It’s important to be aware of what uterine fibroids are because for most women, fibroids do not cause any symptoms at all. For more information on how uterine fibroids can affect you and how they can be treated, keep reading.

What are fibroids?

Fibroids, muscular tumors that grow in the wall of the uterus, can be as small as an apple seed or as big as a grapefruit. They are usually relatively small and can grow as a single tumor or there can by many of them throughout the uterus.

What are the risk factors?

Age, family history, ethnic origin, obesity, and eating habits can all factor into a woman developing uterine fibroids. Fibroids become more common as women age, especially during menopause. Having fibroids run in the family also increases your risk of developing them by about three times higher than average. In general, African-American women are more likely to develop fibroids than other ethnicities and women who are overweight are also at a higher risk for fibroids. As for eating habits, eating a lot of red meat and ham has shown to be linked with a higher risk of fibroids while eating plenty of green vegetables seems to help protect women from developing them.

What are symptoms of fibroids?

Though most fibroids do not cause any symptoms, some women may experience heavy bleeding, feeling of fullness in the pelvic area, enlargement of the lower abdomen, frequent urination, pain during sex, and lower back pain. In rarer cases, fibroids may cause complications during pregnancy and labor as well as cause reproductive problems, such as infertility.

Can fibroids turn into cancer?

Fibroids are almost always benign. Rarely, meaning less than one in 1,000, a cancerous fibroid will occur, which is called leiomyosarcoma. However, doctors think that these cancers are not linked with already-existing fibroids. Having fibroids does not increase your risk of developing a cancerous fibroid, and having fibroids does not increase a woman’s chances of getting other forms of cancer in the uterus.

How are fibroids treated?

After your doctor has confirmed you have fibroids through a regular pelvic exam, there are a number of ways to treat them if you’re experiencing symptoms. Through medication, surgery, or a combination of both, fibroids are typically easy to treat and manage.

Though fibroids are usually harmless, it’s important to keep yourself educated on any risk factors and symptoms that may affect your health. If you have any questions about uterine fibroids, feel free to contact Dr. Carson at 770-506-4007 today to make an appointment with Georgia Vascular Institute. We have several convenient locations in the metro Atlanta area including Buckhead Atlanta, Forest Park, Decatur, Stockbridge, and Jonesboro.

Vascular health encompasses the health of your vascular, or blood vessel, systems of your body. Maintaining a healthy condition of your arteries and veins will help ensure you avoid developing vascular diseases as you age. Check out our tips below on improving your circulation and overall vascular health.

Don’t smoke or use tobacco.

Avoid smoking or using pipes, cigars, cigarettes, and chewing tobacco. Smoking is a huge risk factor for developing vascular diseases, such as peripheral arterial disease, a term describing narrowed arteries going to the legs, stomach, arms, and head.

Form a healthy diet.

Try to eat a diet low in cholesterol and saturated fat to improve your blood circulation. An unhealthy diet can lead to atherosclerosis, the process of plaque buildup in your arteries, which can slow or stop blood flow to and from your blood vessels. Eat healthy, control your blood sugar levels, and keep a frequent eye out for your blood pressure and cholesterol levels.

Maintain a healthy weight.

For every pound of fat, your heart needs to pump blood through an extra mile’s worth of blood vessels. Maintaining a healthy weight and body mass index helps ensure you keep other risk factors at bay. Try to exercise regularly and form a healthy diet in order to be at a consistent, healthy weight.

Take frequent walks.

Join a walking program or go on solo, 30-minute walks every day to improve circulation to your legs and promote growth of new blood vessels. Walking around is an easy way to get your blood flowing while keeping your heart and veins healthy.

Don’t cross your legs.

This can be a hard habit to break for most people. Crossing your legs for long periods of time greatly reduces how well blood is able to circulate through your legs. Instead of crossing your legs at the knees, try crossing your legs at the ankles to ensure more blood flow.

Take care of your feet.

It’s important to treat your feet well in order to promote healthier circulation throughout your body. Make sure your shoes are safely and comfortably supporting your weight as you walk around and try to check your feet every now and then for any cuts, blisters, sores, or cracking. To promote blood flow, try wiggling your toes and moving your ankles up and down for five minutes, two or three times a day.

For more information on how to improve your vascular health and on services we provide to promote healthy circulation, feel free to contact Dr. Carson and Dr. Subramanian at 770-506-4007 today to make an appointment with Georgia Vascular Institute. We have several convenient locations in the metro Atlanta area including Buckhead Atlanta, Forest Park, Decatur, Stockbridge, and Jonesboro.